James r



La. MCWANE.

CAST IRON PIPE.

` APPLICATION FlLEA-D MAY I8, 1915.

' 1,195,830., y Patented Aug. 22,1916.

n -rArs Ar ricerca JAMES R. li/iCWANE. 0F BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

CAST-IRON PIPE.

Liosso.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 22, 1916.

Appli-cation filed May l18, 1915. Serial No. 28,968.

To alloc/1.0m t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JAMES R. MCVANE,

citizen of the United States, residing ,at

Birmingham, in the county of Jefferson and State of Alabama, haveinvented a new and useful Cast-Iron Pipe, of which the following is aspecification. v

This invention has reference to cast iron p ipe, and its object is \toprovide a form of pipe wherein certain objections to standard cast ironpipel are overcome.

Standard castiron pipe is cast in upright molds in units of relativelygreat length with one end a spigot end and the other a bell end.Experience has shown that such pipes must be cast with walls ofconsiderable thickness and oftentimes much thicker than is needed inservice in order to yovercome the possibility of the development ofdefects which would render the pipe units useless for the purpose forwhich they are intended.

There is considerably more metal in the standard cast iron pipe unitthan is necessary for many purposes, but the excess metal has been putinto the castings because of the diiculty in makinga sound casting withless metal and because it has been found that a pipe made of lightersection is liable tobreak in handling.

On account of the difficulties in casting solid pipes in thin sectioneven though the pressure to be withstood. would warrant such thinsection, there hasbeen a very material waste in the employment of excessmetal and in the payment of freight u'ponsuchy excess metal.

There are many purposes where cast iron pipe of much` lighter sectionthan is customary could be used, provided suchpipes could be moldedsuccessfully, and could be y handled to the destination withoutbreakage. The pressure in gas mains and in many water supply lines is arelatively very light pressure, and hence a light section would serveevery purpose.

A cast iron pipe providing a pipcemploying very materially less metalthan heretofore, and yet having an inherent strength resisting breakage,and meeting the conditions present in the casting of the pipes inupright to be necessary to avoid breakage. Between these ends andrepresenting byk far the greater portion of the length of the pipe, thefull thickness is continued in the form of longitudinal ribs ofconsiderable circum ferential breadth, .and these ribs are joined bycircumferential ribs, or by spiral or helical ribs of relatively shortpitch, whereby a very material portion of the surface of the pipebetweenthe twoends is of reduced thicknessbetween the longitudinal andcircumferential ribs, so that thereduced portions are in the form ofpanels. Such a pipe is especially adapted for casting in uprightmoldsand for casting'in units of full length and integral throughout, andparticularly does such a pipe avoid the troubles heretoinstances theconstruction has been such as molds, is realized by the presentinvention. Y

The improved pipe follows the lines of ordinary cast iron pipe in havinga bell end and a spigot end, which may each be of a thickness throughoutwhich experience has shown to preclude the successful casting thereof inupright molds for, reasons which will hereinafter appear. i

The invention will be best understood from al consideration of thefollowing detailed description, taken vin connection with theaccompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, with thefurther understanding that while the drawings show a practical form dfthe invention, the latter isnot confined to any strict conformity withthe showing of the drawings` but may be changed and modified, so long assuch changes and modifications mark no material departure from ythesalient features of the invention. l

In the drawings :-Figure l is an elevation of a pipe constructed inaccordance with the invention with a portion of each end brokenaway toshow the cross-sectional shape thereof. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectionof Fig. l through a set of panels, the showing of the figure being on alarger scale than Fig. l. Fig. 3 is an elevation of a fragment of thepipe showing a modified arrangement.

Referring to the drawings, and especially to Figs. 1 and 2, there isshown a pipe l such as is employed in gas andA waterfpipe lines, andsuch pipe has a spigot end 2 and a bell end 3 of standard form. Suchpipes are one-piece structures,. and are made' of cast metal. The -mol'demployed is filled with the molten metal while the mold is in theupright position with the bell end down- 5, ward.

molded experience has shown that both' as a matter o f-strength and-topermit the casting of the pipes, the thickness of the metal of the wallsof the pipe must reacha certain 1o amount., If the walls of the pipe beas thin as they might be for the service to which 'the pipe is put, thenthe -dropping of the hot metal poured into such thin vspace as wouldrepresent a thin walled pipe, scatters as it drops and is cooled off tosuch an extent that when it finally settles such cooled ofiI particlesdo not coalesce and the result is an imperfect casting and ,a leakypipe. Moreover, a pipe as tliin as the service would 20 permit is liableto break at the spigot end during transportation. Should it happen thatthereare any impurities in the molten metal they are liable to lodge ina. thin walled pipe' and cause a leak. Because of such conditions it isthelcustom to cast the pipe with thick enough walls to sufficientlystrengthen the spigot end, which is the end liable to be broken, and toprevent the formation of what is known as cold shots due 80 to thescattering and cooling off of the metalk `.ff\...w`lien poured into athin space from above,

or-tlie lodginent of impurities liable in thin Walled pipes to produceleaks. To overcome all these difficulties of casting and at the sametime materially reduce `the weight of the pipewithout sacrifice of anyof the advantages, the pipe is formed with a circular series oflongitudinal ribs il extending from the spigot end 2 where the pipe isof' full vthickness all the way around, to the bell end 3 where the pipeis also of full 4thickness all the way around. The ribs 4l are likewiseof full thickness andare joined at suitable intervals by transversecircumferential ribs 5 which in Fig. l are shown as perpendicular to theribs 4, but these ribs may beotherwise arranged with relation to thelongitudinal ribs 4, as, for instance, there may be generallycircumferential ribs I 5 extending spirally or helically about the pipe,as in Fig. 3.

In either instance the spaces bounded by the longitudinal and transverselribs have the walls much thinner, these spaces being in thevform ofpanels AG of suitable shape. The interior lof the pipe is smooth orunbroken throughout and of standard diaineter, while the exterior of thepipe` at the points corresponding to the spigot end 2, the bell end 3and the ribs 4 and 5 or 5VIL are all'of a thickness-of wall whichexperience has taught meets the conditions of casting and strength. Thethickness of theivalls of the panels 6, however, may be quitematerilally less than that of the ribs and other As these pipes havebeen heretofore v niayfcoincide with the longitudinal ribs 4, whichlatter are represented fin the mold by 80 l channels of ample width anddepth.

In the pouring rthe hot metal quickly gravitates to the lower end andthen the level of the accumulating metal rises with the hot metalrapidly finding its way through the transverse 'channels and into thethin walled panels. The relatively vthick masses of metal accumulatinginthe channels represented inthe spacesprovided for the formation. ofthe ribs 4 maintain the heat of the metal at suchhigh point that thereis no scattering or formation of cold shots during the pouringoperation. Moreover, in the event of there being any impurities in themetal being poured,.these impurities tend to accumulate in the channelscorwherefore only pure metal finds its way into the thin walled partsrepresenting the panels,V

so that these panels have their, walls perfect and hence the metal is4solid and well knitted together, and leaks are less likely to occur.

Those parts of the mold corresponding to the ribs form channelsthrouglrvvhich the hot metal is conducted in relatively thick masses andprovide gates through which the molten iron is carried to the thinportions. The ribs not only lcontribute to the producsuch as representedin since for many purposes responding to the ribs of the finished pipe,

tion of a sound casting despite the thin walls of the panels, but alsoprovide ample strength for `the casting and prevent breakage inhandling. v Q 1 lVlien a cast iron pipe is broken in handling the breakusually occuis at the spigot end which is the weak part. By carrying theribs throughout the' length of the pipe to about withinsix inches of thespigot end and forming such spigot end of the same secltion as in anyordinary bell and spigot lcast iron pipe, such full or plain portion offull thickness serves to strengthen the pipe at.

the weak point, and it also furnishes a full, smooth surface forcalking.

A cast iron pipe such a's shown in the drawing has all the strength formany Apurposes of a cast iron pipe of full thickness throughout, and,moreover, is materially lighter in weight, this representing acorresponding material saving in metal and a very material saving intransportation costs.

The improved pipe besides being excel-i1 lently suited for purposeswhere there'is internal pressure, is even better suited for use wherethe strain is external, as, for instance, in thecase of culverts.ABecause of the saving in metal and transportation costs cast iron pipesconstructed can economically be used in placesoil other types of metalculverts, because castjiron has lasting Nualities when used undergroundwhich is not found in metal'culverts which haveonly the advantage 'overcast iron culw verts in the matter of lightness and cheapness, whichadvantages are in a large measure present in the improved pipe of thisinvention.

While it. has been heretofore proposed to produce pipes of short lengthslongitudinally divided into sections l and provided with external ribs,the arrangement has been such as to prevent the formation of suchsectional pipes in vertical molds, nor could such ribbed sectional pipebe cast of such light Weight as is provided by the pipe herein describedwith the great degree of strength and the uniform distribution thereof.

What is claimed is Ik' 1. A oneepiece cast iron pipe having end and bodyportions with the latter provided with external depressionsforming'panels with walls of standard pipe of the same internaldiameter, said panels being arranged to define on the exterior of thebody portion of the pipe longitudinal ribs and inter-connecting lateralribs, said ribs corresponding in thickness diametrically of the pipe tothe thickness of the wall in standard cast iron pipe of the sameinternal dimensions, whereby the longitudinal rib-producing channels inthe mold provide passageways for relatively thick masses Of molten metalduring pouring and thereby prevent the formation of cold shots and atthe same time segregate impurities, and whereby the weight of the pipeis lessened over that of standard pipe of the same dimensions by thereduction in thickness of the walls of the pipe at the panel portions. l

2. A one-piece cast iron pipe having end portions joined by longitudinal.relatively broad ribs with interconnecting relatively broad ribsjoining the longitudinal ribs, said longitudinal and connecting ribsdefining panels with the end portions ,of the pipe and the'ribs having athickness corresponding to the thickness of wall of standard cast ironpipe of the same internal dimensions and the panel portions being ofless thickness of wall than the ribs.

3. A onepiece cast iron pipe having spigot and bell portions of asherein "described,

of less thickness than the walls smooth exterior with longitudinal ribsdisposed about the body of the pipe and connecting the end portions,`andflafterally extended ribs con necting the longitudinal ribs, thelateral and longitudinal ribs delining panels with the walls of the pipeat the ribsand at the Vspigot and bell portions of substantially equalthickness, and with the walls of the panel portions of less thicknessthan the lirst-named portions.' V

4. An elongated one-piece cast iron pipe having a circular series ofsubstantially parallel longitudinal ribs on its exterior of a thicknessof wall permitting the casting of the pipe in an uprightv mold and withthin walled portions between the ribs, whereby during the castingoperation the channels in the molds in which the longitudinal ribs areformed provide passageways for relatively thick masses of molten metalsegregating impurities and preventing the formation of cold shots, andalso distributingv to the thin walled portions spending in thickness tothe thickness ofl wall of standard cast iron pipe of the same internaldimensions and extending -Iboth longitudinally and laterally of the pipeto admit of the formation in a vertical mold of a light weight lpipesubstantially free from materialimperfections dueto cold shots orimpurities.

6. A onepiece cast iron pipe having on its exterior longitudinal ribscorresponding in diametric thickness to the thickness of wall ofstandardcast iron pipe of the same internal dimensions, said ribs beingspaced about the pipe in accordance withthe spacing of and in alinementwith the pouring gates of the mold in which the pipe is cast, wherebythe channels in which the ribs are formed convey and distribute themetal to the portions of the mold between the ribforming channels andwhereby the pipe is prevented from breakage in handling and underpressure.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my` own, I have heretoaflixed my sig.-

Witnesses:

C. W. HENRY,

HARRY J. EARLY.

